Immigration

Contents

Countries take varying approaches to controlling immigration. Some have no real controls on it at all, allowing people to live in the country as they wish, while others prohibit immigration altogether. Most take a position somewhere between the two, allowing some immigrants but not all. In addition, countries vary in the permits and permissions that are granted to those approved for immigration.

Lamb's Cove — anyone wishing to move to the country is allowed to do so. Employment requires a national work permit, for which there is an annual quota. (The number varies from year to year.) A permit is no longer required once a person attains citizenship.

Listonian Free State — anyone wishing to move to the country is allowed to do so upon application to the Ministry of Foreign Relations, with proof of employment in the LFS or other financial support.

Porto Capital — anyone wishing to move to the country is allowed to do so. After five years residing in Porto Capital, the person may apply for citizenship.

Rovens — anyone wishing to move to the country is allowed to do so. Employment laws are (or rather enforcement is) lax so working is immediately possible, the government enthusiastic to accept new income tax revenues. Citizenship is available after three years residency and demonstration of a means to support oneself and ones' dependents.

Xochimechatl — anyone wishing to move to the country is allowed to do so. The country as a whole has no concept of residency or work permissions, but local authorities will require people to obtain a residence permit.

Aethelnia — accepts immigrants, with the number varying each year. Immigrants are either chosen based on their skills and qualifications, or because they have married an Aethelnian citizen. People approved for immigration are given a status as residents, which confers the right to work and access to government services.

Lendosa — accepts a set number of immigrants, with the number varying each year. Immigrants are chosen based on their skills and qualifications. People approved for immigration are given status as residents, which confers the right to work and access to certain government services.

Mari'im — immigrants are required to accept the country's political system, and are restricted to living in certain parts of the country.

Wesmerité — does not actively encourage immigration but allows a set number of foreigners who arrive to become "residents", the first stage on the road to citizenship, each year. It is easier to become a resident if you speak Meritéan as your mother tounge or are ethnicaly Meritéan.

Shaelic Commonwealth — immigration is strictly controlled. The government does not actively encourage immigration, but quotas are in place to fill skilled jobs of which there are domestic shortages. Shaels who wish to return to the Commonwealth are virtually guaranteed admittance. All immigrants are required to learn the Shaelic language to remain in the Commonwealth and work.

St. Samuel — actively encourages immigration in order to fulfill certain jobs. A strict qualification process is enforced, whereby the applicant must prove that they do not have certain criminal convictions and pass a medical test. The government retains the right to deport those who breech Samuelonian laws.

Trinia — encourages skilled and qualified individuals to move to the country. The threshold for acceptance is low, but not non-existent. The country actively encourages ethnic Trinians living in other countries to "return home", and knowledge of the Trinian language is enough to virtually guarantee acceptance. Those approved for immigration initially gain a resident's visa (enabling work and access to government services) — after a year, they may apply for permanent residency.

Utania — actively encourages ethnic-Utani living in other countries to "return home", and provides automatic citizenship to any foreign residents that can demonstrate Utani ethnicity; non-Utani foreigners find it virtually impossible immigrate, and though the Hope administration had introduced long-term business visas to ease this, they remain second-class residents without full access to government services, a controversial entrenched racism that has been politically difficult to overcome.

In addition to people who move to a country simply because they wish to, there are also people who are displaced from their homeland involuntarily — either they are driven out by conflict or natural disaster, or they are forced to flee oppression and persecution. Countries vary in their attitudes to such people.

Aethelnia — deals with refugees and asylum-seekers on a case-by-case basis, but usually has a restricted policy, and asylum seeker status is determined upon arrival in the country. People without valid papers will not be allowed to access Aethelnia. Declared asylum seekers will have limited access to Aethelnian society for a limited period, usually for the time of duration of a foreign conflict in the refugee's region of origin.

Lendosa — deals with refugees and asylum-seekers on a case-by-case basis, but usually has a generous policy, having accepted large numbers of refugees in the past (it is estimated that over a million Lendosan citizens are former refugees or their descendents).

Mari'im — officially welcomes refugees, but requires that they accept the Mari'im political system if they are to remain in the country long-term.

North Dignania — Welcomes defectors from South Dignania and refugees from other communist regimes across Vexillium, integrating them into North Dignanian society following a period of re-education.

Porto Capital — deals with refugees on the same manners as ordinary immigrants.

Rosardan — Asylum applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Grant of asylum is based upon a determination that repatriation would result in punishment based upon the exercise of some action by the individual which is not recognised as a crime in Rosardan, or based upon the applicants ethnic, religious, or racial status.

St. Samuel — deals with refugees and asylum seekers on a case-by-case basis. The government will provide initial start-up help, but no long term financial, medical or education support. Those granted asylum will be required to support themselves. The government will retain the right to deport those who breach Samuelonian laws. Children of refugee's or asylum seekers born in Saint Samuel are considered to be Samuelonian citizens.

Trinia — has no specific policy on the matter. Any refugees or asylum-seekers would be dealt with through normal immigration procedures, possibly benefiting from the "compassionate consideration" clauses in that policy.

Utania — deals with refugees in the same manner as other immigrants, which is to say ethnic-Utani are automatically welcomed, while the country will reject others. This official exclusion of non-Utani refugees is yet to be tested, and it is estimated up to half-a-million ethnic-Tarqvit economic refugees live in Utania illegally.

Xochimechatl — is effectively open to refugees and asylum-seekers, having no effective border control.

Emigration is the act and the phenomenon of leaving one's native country to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Some countries may have some restriction on this.

Utania - Citizens are free to leave the country, though it is actively discouraged for ethnic-Utani, dual-citizenship is not available, and any non-Utani non-citizen residents risk not being allowed to return.

Zartania — Citizens are free to emigrate, provided that the sign a waiver prior to doing so acknowledging that emigration will result in the loss of Zartanian citizenship which cannot be restored once it is voluntarily relinquished.

Mari'im — Citizens are only allowed to leave the country if given a permit by the government, which is rare. Permits are issued for government officials, academics, and cultural delegations, and are always time-limited.

North Dignania — Emigration from North Dignania is generally allowed, except for persons wishing to immigrate to South Dignania or other states with communist regimes.

South Dignania — Emigration from South Dignania is strictly prohibited, though individuals are granted temporary passports and visas to enable them to briefly travel abroad for international conferences, exchanges, or sporting events.